Public Showers, Now Open!

The opening of “the park for everyone” this week is the equivalent of the opening of a new Metro light rail extension: everyone shows up when everyone else is gonna come. But then they get back into their cars and return to their backyards, to await the next big civic project they want us to cheer, something new to make us feel connected to how those in power run this town. I welcome this extra bit of green but no doubt this bit of Wet Dream for Real Estate Developers is going to be like all the other “public” spaces: for limited use only. I don’t even know why they are getting so excited, 2/3 of the “park” is still closed.

The bottom part closest to City Hall is still closed. Look at all that grass just waiting for dog poop!

The middle section is also closed, not sure why since they all seem ready. No doubt some sort of preemptive crowd control effort.

Under the Park, Parking Lots!

Getting closer to the open part of the park-intersected-by-streets we see some aggressive solicitors trying to push children to drink some new sugary drinks. First they give it out free, then when you are hooked on their unhealthful drug they make you pay. Don’t do it kids, winners drink water!

Waiting for a break in traffic to get to the other side of the park.

Look at all them rules! And Regulations! At least we will be safe from those soda pushers and other assorted marketing schemes.

The gathered crowds were eager to show off the dance moves. Since the grass can withstand this kind of dance abuse, I bet it will be ok to come with some friends to kick around a soccer ball. I didn’t see any of those anti-futbol signs that you see in most LA parks. Yet.

All that grass but everyone wants trees. Someone fucked up.

Oh shit, more solicitation! These fools were trying to entice you to buy tickets for some boring show or other. Looks like mommy helped them with the outfits.

Yeah, public showers! Do you know how hard it is for the average person on the street to stay clean? Even though downtown has one of the highest concentrations of homeless people, thus creating a high demand for basic human services like showers and toilets, most of the businesses around the center of the city are actually hostile to lending out their plumbing. Finally someone had the good sense to just build some open showers for people to wash up. Now that is good use of our collective funds. The only thing they forgot to install were shampoo and soap dispensers, I hope they add those soon. They also had some restrooms but as they were super busy I didn’t get a chance to break them in.

They kept that boring old fountain from before, with all its wasted floor space. You can’t even walk into it so what’s the point?

Molina said the county would take a “firm and vigilant” approach toward security at the park, with guards from the Music Center working in conjunction with the Sheriff’s Department. “We don’t want to throw protesters out … but we want this to be a park for everyone to enjoy,” she said.

Looks like this is going to be your usual “public” space where they just can’t stand the public. This is one of those look-but-don’t-touch parks that the rich and powerful like to claim is for you, until you want to claim it for yourself. Let’s see when they install the barb wire fences.

Meanwhile at the nearby City Hall park the crowd control fence remains just so you don’t get any ideas. The Public Servants occupied this park way longer than the “Occupy Movement” by a long shot. They added a bunch of plants and “gardens” that WILL be trampled the next time there is a big protest, now they have another excuse to bean bag you though.

The rules! That has to be one of the worst signs yet, its all busy and shouty. Who designs these things?